MAVERICK Iris watched me expectantly, waiting for me to tell her the reason I wanted her to marry me in order to carry out my revenge plan.It was such an easy thing to do, yet I hesitated to speak. The emotional part of everything was a long-gone phase, and all I felt was just anger. Anger towards my brother, and my father.I would tell Iris all that she needed to know, but I wasn't about to delve into my past with someone I didn't know.Where do I start?“Did Sebastian ever tell you that he was next in line to be the CEO after my father stepped down?”She chewed on her bottom lip as she considered my question. Iris had no idea how attractive the little things she unconsciously did were.“Um, yeah. A few weeks before the divorce,” she looked away from me, but not before I saw the pained expression on her face and noticed the way her voice cracked at the word ‘divorce’. “He was excited about taking over from your father. He was always obsessed with being CEO, he just…”She turned bac
IRIS I sat there, waiting for the punchline. Maybe he was messing with me, maybe he was just throwing in a light joke and I was supposed to laugh.But nothing about this felt funny to me. The silence between us was suffocating as Maverick’s grey eyes stayed locked on mine, unwavering. Expectant.Marriage was one thing I could put my foot in. I’d been married before, I could do it again especially if it was a means to an end.But a child?My stomach clenched, and I gripped the edge of the table, struggling to keep my breathing even. A panic attack would be the worst way to end this night.Maverick had no idea. No idea what he was really asking of me.“Iris…” he trailed off. “I know this is a lot to dump on you, and if you’re not okay with this, we can call it off. I promise.”I swallowed, my throat dry. “You—” My voice cracked, and I cleared my throat, forcing the words out.. “You need to get married and have a child? That’s the condition?”Maverick nodded, his gaze assessing my face
MAVERICK I never gambled. I’d never made reckless bets. I sure as hell had never waited for a ghost before.Yet, here I was. Sitting in the grand ballroom of the charity gala that had been organized by my father, surrounded by Seattle’s elite, my whiskey untouched as I stared occasionally at the door.Waiting for Iris.Call it wishful thinking, but when I sent a text to Iris three days ago, I’d hoped that she would show up. I took my phone out, opening up Iris’s chat.The last message was from me. The night after our dinner, I’d gotten hopeful when she said she would think about it. So I’d sent her a text:‘Charity gala, Sunday, 9pm. If you ever change your mind, you’ll find me there.’It was a long shot. I never took risks like that, but something about Iris Blake made me want to break my own rules. She was the best option for this. I had no other choice.She should have been here by now. Iris was supposed to want this as much as I wanted. She was supposed to crave revenge just lik
IRIS The flashing lights from the cameras should have scared me away, or at least made me nervous.But instead, I felt powerful. I wrapped my arms around Maverick’s neck, letting him deepen the kiss, letting him put on a show for the public. His hand slid to my waist. He was doing everything he could to make this seem real.But it wasn’t. It wasn’t real. And it didn't matter how much of a damn good kisser he was, this wasn’t real. He wasn’t mine.And I would love to keep it that way. Strictly professional.I’d deliberately refused to reply to Maverick’s text asking me to meet him here, deciding to just surprise him. Thinking of him anticipating my arrival and then getting disappointed made me laugh.The second I broke the kiss, I forced myself to stay calm. To stay in character. I felt a shiver run down my spine but I had no idea whether it was from the kiss, the adrenaline, or all the eyes that were on me.I really hoped it was from either of the last two options.Maverick’s breath
IRIS I made sure my expression didn't give anything away as I spoke. It had been two years since I last saw Eleanor. The woman who had smiled in my face pretending to be my friend, and then slept with my husband and took my place.My ex-husband.And now? She stood in front of me, wearing an expensive, too-tight, obvious dress, her hair curled to near perfection. Her sharp eyes drank me in, sizing me up like I was her competition.“Well, here I am, Eleanor,” I said, flashing her a fake grin. “Did you miss me?”Maverick squeezed my hand, silently asking if he should remove me from this situation, but I shook my head gently. This conversation was long due.Eleanor’s lips curled into something resembling a smirk. “Of course, it’s always a pleasure seeing you, Iris.”Liar, but I could play that game.I clapped my hands together, tilting my head. “And look at you, Eleanor,” I purred. “Enjoying your promotion from assistant to wife.”If I hadn't been paying attention, I wouldn’t have heard
IRIS I loved working at the hospital. It was always so cold. Not just in temperature, but in feeling.It always smelled like antiseptic and drugs. People were always waiting, hoping, breaking.I liked that. Being able to predict suffering.Because suffering was all I’d ever known.Standing at the nurse’s station, I flipped through a patient’s chart, forcing myself to focus. The buzzing sound from the fluorescent lights above was almost soothing, but not entirely.I needed something to ground me. Something that wasn’t the contract that I had signed last night.I still couldn’t believe that I had taken that big of a risk, but it was done. There was no going back.All I had to do was play the game and keep my daughter away from it.I hated that I’d sold myself to Maverick Sinclair, but to be honest, I didn't regret it.A loud gasp from behind me snapped me out of my thoughts.“Oh my God,” I heard one of the nurses whisper. “Are those for you?”I frowned, about to ask what she meant by t
IRIS Quentin Sinclair was just as I remembered him.Tall and handsome, dressed in a black tailored suit that screamed money and authority. His salt-and-pepper chin-length hair was tied in a low ponytail.Now that he was in front of me, I could see how much Maverick resembled him. His cold eyes regarded me, and I didn't miss the sneer on his lips.I lifted my chin, forcing myself to hold his gaze. “Mr. Sinclair,” I greeted coolly. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”“I missed you at the gala. Didn't get a chance to talk to you and I would love to do that right now,” he paused, looking around. “In private.”Holding back a sigh, I nodded, leading him through the hallways until we got to a secluded area. His bodyguards lurked around but they weren’t close enough to hear.His lips twitched as he looked at me.“Let’s not waste time with pleasantries, Ms. Blake,” his voice was leveled. Calm. “We both know why I’m here.”I crossed my arms. “Do we?”When I was still married to Sebastian, there w
MAVERICK I had come running to the hospital the moment I got word from my men that my father was there. Of course, he was. Of course, he was going to pull his usual manipulative bullshit on Iris.I expected nothing less than that.But what I hadn’t expected was Iris suggesting that we move in together before the wedding date. I knew her to an extent, and I’d thought that she would need her own space at least until the wedding.Not that I was complaining. It was actually a relief.But I wasn't about to make it easy on her.She was giving me nothing—just that same defiant look that had been there since the night I met her.“Why?” I asked, my voice even.Iris crossed her arms, shifting under my gaze. Her lower lip was jutted out in a slight pout.“B-because…” she stuttered, avoiding my eyes. “I mean we’re getting married anyway, so we… might as well move in together. No need to wait.”My gaze flicked to her mouth as she chewed on her lower lip distractedly. Iris made the most attractive
IRIS The moment the door shut behind Dwayne, everything settled into silence. There was an uncomfortable level of quietness between Maverick and me as he stared at the door, and I stared at him.Dwayne had gone off to do god-knows-what, and he and Maverick had gotten into a fight.I’d never seen them like that with each other. Ever.Maybe that was what emotions did to people. To men like Maverick and Dwayne, emotions were destructive.My gaze dropped to Maverick’s split lip. He may have succeeded in leaving a mark on Dwayne, but Dwayne got him good too.I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to keep the words from falling out of my mouth, but I couldn't help it. “Your lip is bleeding,” I stated, gesturing with my pointer finger to his mouth.Maverick’s eyes met mine, and he stuck his tongue out slightly, licking the blood off his bottom lip.“I’m fine,” he muttered, turning away from me.“No, you’re not,” I said softly. “You were just in a fight with your best friend, Maverick. Nothing
IRIS Dwayne looked pissed as Maverick let him into the house. “What’s going on?” Maverick asked, looking between me and Dwayne. I would’ve said I didn’t know, but judging from the look on Dwayne’s face, I had an idea of what he was doing here. “Megan is keeping something from me,” Dwayne said, “And my gut tells me you know what it is.” He took a few steps closer to me. “So why don’t you be a darling and tell me what I want to know?” I shook my head. “Dwayne, I don’t—” “What the fuck is going on?” came Maverick’s voice, cutting me short. He stepped in front of me, blocking my view of Dwayne and his view of me. “Mav—” I couldn’t see Maverick’s face, but I watched the way his back tensed as Dwayne grew increasingly impatient. “Fuck, no,” Maverick snapped. “You come into my house, questioning my fiance about something I don’t know about. And you didn't even think to come through me?” I swallowed thickly. I didn’t want to see this as Maverick defending me, but I couldn’t help i
IRIS I didn’t know what was harder for me.Finding out that history had been repeated, or realizing that I’d really, really fucked up.I hadn’t really ever thought of the fact that Maverick and Sebastian were so close in age. But now, it all made sense.“Apparently, Esther got pregnant with Maverick by the time Sebastian was only two months. Quentin was doubtful at first, but Esther swore that the child was his. And then they had a paternity test done, and it was confirmed.”I didn’t know what to say. My mouth was hanging open because of how short of words I was. “Oh, I…”“So, you can see that this hits so close to home for him.” Tania reached for my hands, taking them in hers. “You already know that Mav doesn’t have the best relationship with his father. And frankly, Quentin is a horrible man. When Mav was growing up, he…”I stared at Tania, urging her to continue. But she shook her head, like she was trying to get her thoughts in control. And then she let out a long breath.“Now t
IRIS It didn’t take long for the news to be everywhere. All over the tabloids, it was “THE TRUTH IS OUT???”“TECH BILLIONAIRE MAVERICK SINCLAIR’S CHILD DISCOVERED.”“MAVERICK SINCLAIR’S FIANCE HID HIS CHILD FROM HIM!”The details were toxic and presumptuous, but for some reason, I couldn’t quit checking them. Obsessively.Maybe it was because I’d been locked up in Maverick’s house for the past few days. And I say ‘locked up’ because, practically, I was.Maverick wouldn't let me leave the house. He barely talked to me, but he was clear on the fact that I had to stay indoors so I wouldn’t draw unnecessary attention while he tried to settle things down.But I was fine with it. It wasn’t like I ever went anywhere anyway, since he refused to let me work until after the wedding.The wedding which had been pushed back to two weeks.Yeah, the journalists were having a little too much fun with that one.“Iris, darling, you're going to hurt yourself if you keep on reading that stuff.”Tania’s
MAVERICK She was so small. Amethyst lay curled underneath the thin hospital blanket, and I watched the way her chest rose and fell with every breath she took, watched the way her lashes fluttered lightly against her cheeks. They were thick. So thick. And I never even realized until this moment how much she looked like my mother. Like me. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I was seated beside the hospital bed, my elbows on my knees as my hands hung uselessly between my legs. My fingers were twitching. Itching to touch her. To hold her in my arms. But I didn't move, for fear that I was going to break her. Or maybe I was just scared that she was going to break me. Break what was left of me. My daughter. I had a daughter. Somehow, the first night that Iris and I had together had led to us having a child. And I was too fueled with rage and my need for revenge to even realize the resemblance she bore with me. Under my nose. It all happened under my damn nose. “I didn
IRIS “What are you going to do?” That was Megan’s question after Dwayne had stormed out. There had been an uncomfortable silence in the room for a while, both Megan and I lost in our thoughts. Me thinking about Maverick and Amethyst, and Megan?Well…“I don’t know,” I answered honestly, crossing my arms in front of my chest as I leaned back in my seat. “Maverick wasn’t exactly clear on what he was going to do to me.”I hated that I sounded bitter when I said that, but I couldn't help it.Maverick was about to do away with me. I was sure of it. This was going to be the end. That, maybe I could deal with. Maybe I could forfeit all the drama and the plans for revenge that we hadn’t even started to go into yet.But, Amethyst?How was I going to beg Maverick not to take her from me? The look in his eyes, him wanting to be alone with her…My greatest fear had come to life. Maverick was going to take Amy from me, and he was probably going to marry Layla because of how attached they were
IRIS The first thing I heard as soon as I opened the door to Megan’s room was the soft, steady beeping of the heart monitor.Other than that, it was quiet. Dwayne sat beside her bed, his elbows on his knees, head in his hands. His entire body was tense. Too still.The doctors said that Megan had woken up earlier, but now, she was asleep.“Hey,” I whispered.Dwayne’s head snapped up, and he looked at me warily, then shifted his gaze tp the door like he was expecting someone to come in.“Where’s Maverick?”I took a seat across from him. “With Amethyst.”That answer alone multiplied the tension in the room. Dwayne heaved a sigh, his hand moving to the back of his neck. And when his eyes met mine, he gave me a sheepish smile.“Sorry for my outburst earlier,” he muttered. “I was just—”“Dwayne,” I interrupted. “There’s no need to apologize, okay? I should be the one apologizing.”His eyes widened slightly and I swallowed nervously. “And you were right. This happened because of me. If Me
IRIS I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that the moment things went south, Layla would swoop in and try to “fix” things.But that still didn’t soften the hurt that I felt. Seeing Maverick wrap his arms around the girl that so obviously wanted him, was heartbreaking, to say the least. It pulled at something inside of me that shouldn’t have been pulled at all.But I had to remind myself that Maverick wasn’t mine. And that even if he was, I deserved whatever he was dishing out at me right now.Dwayne gave me a short glance, and I could see a hint of… worry or pity in his expression.And then, shaking his head at the scene before us, he disappeared into the corner, heading toward Megan’s room.I should’ve turned around. Should’ve taken one look at Maverick’s arms around her and left without saying a word. But I couldn't.My legs had frozen in place. My lungs refused to work.And my heart?God, my heart was cracking wide open.Layla turned slightly in mavericks arms, noticing me stan
MAVERICK Fucking hell.I stood outside the hospital, staring at the hood of my car like it had personally betrayed me.My pulse thundered nonstop in my ears and my knuckles ached from how tightly I’d been clenching my fists.I was going to fucking lose itI had a daughter. My own flesh and blood. And Iris Blake had kept her from me.It was funny, really. I didn’t even know if I was mad at her for hiding her in plain sight, or mad at myself for not figuring it out sooner.Before I could realize what I was doing, my fist was coming down against the roof of my car. Hard. I felt the impact from my fist down to my shoulder, but I didn’t care.So fucking stupid. That’s what I was. Too fucking stupid and lenient to dig into a woman who was important to my plan.But then again, maybe I just didn’t want to find out.With a sharp grunt, I started to punch down on my car again, but a voice stopped me short.“Careful there, bro.”I turned to see Dwayne walking toward me, hands in his pockets. He